The Roosters employed the unusual tactics of compressed defence which stymied the Eels attack in the early stages before Brett Finch figured things out with a cut-out pass to barnstorming winger Eric Grothe who opened the scoring in the 18th minute.

You could be excused for thinking it was a trial for NSW halves as Braith Anasta stepped two players to score a brilliant individual try from close range less than 10 minutes later to lock up the game at 6-all.

Each side went back and forth for the remainder of the half but Parramatta took the lead in the final minute with a penalty goal to Luke Burt and it appeared we were in for a drag